Chetham’s Opera: A Year of Learning, a Lifetime of Impact
Chetham’s School of Music presented its first fully staged opera, L’Enfant et les sortilèges by Maurice Ravel, performed by students aged 14–19 at Stoller Hall on 2 and 3 July 2025. Boldly reimagined and professionally produced, this emotionally charged work was both a showcase of extraordinary young talent and a powerful example of what’s possible when young people are given the space and trust to create.
The opera marked the culmination of a year-long journey for Chetham’s vocal students. Over twelve months, they explored the opera’s characters, learned to sing in French with the help of a language coach, studied staging and dramaturgy, and auditioned for roles, immersing themselves in every aspect of what it takes to become an opera artist. Working alongside a professional creative team including director Genevieve Raghu, set and costume designer Lara Booth, and lighting designer Ben Ormerod, the students experienced the full scope of opera as a living, collaborative art form.
Matthias Robinson (Le Chat) and Lily Rugg (La Chatte)
“From the first few workshops to staging the production, this was such an amazing experience,” says Lily Rugg, a Year 13 vocal student performing the role of La Chatte. “At the start of the process, I really had no concept of just how much time and work goes into bringing an opera to life, but this opportunity to work alongside industry professionals has greatly developed my understanding of the industry. It’s made me realise I want to do this professionally, and that I actually can.”
In this production, Ravel’s playful opera was reframed as a dark and moving exploration of trauma and memory. The Child was now a young soldier, wounded on the front lines of the First World War, spiralling into a dreamscape where objects and memories come to life. Sung in French by an all-student cast, the opera became a surreal reckoning with childhood, guilt and healing. The lead role of the Child was played by Divine Simbanegavi, a Chetham’s alumna now studying Music at St Catherine’s College, Oxford University.
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But this production was about more than performance. It was a timely and urgent reminder of what creative education can and should be.
“Opera is a powerful fusion of language, music, design, dance, storytelling and psychology, which invites people to engage with the full spectrum of what it means to be human,” says director Genevieve Raghu. “At Chetham’s, students are given the freedom and resources to explore their creativity. But across the UK, such opportunities are vanishing from view. A-Level Music is becoming a luxury, drama is increasingly absent from school life, and for many young people, the arts are no longer a visible or viable part of their education.”
Chetham’s School of Music remains a special place where aspiring vocalists can access the kind of deep, professional training that’s becoming increasingly scarce in UK education. But this production also raises the question: why is this kind of opportunity so rare?
Elizabeth Tan and Izzy Davies (Fire)
“This opera showed what young people can do when you treat them like real artists,” says Marcus Farnsworth, Head of Vocal Studies at Chetham’s and a professional opera singer. “They’ve not just learned to sing, they’ve learned to lead, collaborate, imagine, and reflect. And they’re proving that creativity isn’t a luxury, but a necessity.”
As much as it celebrates Chetham’s, L’Enfant et les sortilèges was also a call to action: to protect and restore access to the performing arts across all schools, not just the specialist few. Because when students are trusted with creative responsibility, they rise to the occasion, and often exceed it.
This production was made possible by the generosity of our supporters. Special thanks go to Mr David Gaskill and an anonymous donor.
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Divine Simbanegavi (L’Enfant) and Tonye Afiesimama (Maman)
